Meet Carrie Russo of Russo Pilates in Valley Village and Studio City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Russo.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was a dance minor at Ohio University and Pilates was part of our curriculum. Years later, when I moved to LA from my hometown of Cleveland, I decided Pilates was a natural progression for my career. I was fortunate to get into the program of Romana’s Pilates. It is considered to be one of the most elite, if not THE most elite, Pilates Certification. Romana is who Joseph and Clara Pilates entrusted to carry on their body of work and I was fortunate to study directly with Romana. I was certified in 2005 and have been teaching ever since. In 2013, it was yet another natural progression to go out on my own and have my own studio.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As with anything, it ebbs and flows, especially in the beginning. There would be times when I would be so busy I didn’t know if I could keep up and then as soon as a few months later, I could be wondering how I was going to pay my bills! In more recent years, business has been more consistent however; it is always a journey of learning and adapting as technology and social media changes and grows.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Russo Pilates – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I specialize in Private Pilates sessions… once in a while I will do duets, but mainly it is all one on one sessions. There a few things that set me apart from others. I have to first say my certification. Then I would add my experience. Those two things, coupled with my genuine interest in helping transform people’s bodies, posture and helping them meet their goals … that this is more than my job, but my passion… sets me apart. And the kicker would be you are guaranteed to laugh every session. I remember Romana once said to me, “If you’re not having fun, then what’s the point?”. I couldn’t agree more!

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
In the future, I plan on expanding my studio for sure. That is a definite. Also, I am currently strategizing how to use my successful Instagram account to help spread my knowledge and experience to a broader base. I have a lot of followers that live in remote parts of the world and do not have access to Pilates, but are eager to learn. So that is something that is in the works.

Pricing:

• $80/session- Valley Village location
• $90/session- West Hollywood location

Contact Info:

• Website: www.russopilates.com
• Email: carrierusso@mac.com
• Instagram: @russopilates
• Facebook: Russo Pilates
• Yelp: Russo Pilates